OLATHE – After combining for 44 total points in the fourth quarter, No. 12 MNU was able to hold off a last-second comeback from No. 7 Benedictine Football on Saturday.
Benedictine gave up a go-ahead touchdown to MNU with 19 seconds remaining in the game. Trailing 48-41, the Ravens JaShawn Todd returned the ensuing kickoff for a 79-yard touchdown to pull the Ravens within a point, 48-47, with 7 seconds remaining. MNU held Benedictine out of the end zone as the 2-point conversion failed and allowed the Pioneers to earn the win in the Heart Conference Network Game of the Week.
MNU opened the game with a touchdown before the Ravens took a 10-7 lead after a 50-yard field goal from Harry Balke and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Dooley to Tyler Watson.
The Ravens added 14 points in the second quarter on a pair of touchdown passes from Dooley – the first on a 56-yard pass to Jacob Gathright, and the second on a 31-yard pass to Joseph Lagafuaina.
MNU scored 17 points of their own in the second quarter to send the game into halftime tied at 24.
The Pioneers scored the only points of the third quarter, a 25-yard field goal to take a 27-24 lead into the explosive fourth quarter.
Benedictine opened the fourth quarter with a 55-yard touchdown pass from Dooley to Todd. MNU followed that with a pair of touchdowns before Balke added a 53-yard field goal to his day to make it 41-34 MNU with 3:30 remaining in the quarter.
The Ravens tied the game at 41 on a 28-yard pass from Dooley to Tanner Zimmerman with 1:53 remaining to set up the wild end to the game.
Both teams finished with 504 yards of total offense. Dooley finished with his second 400-yard passing game of the season as he finished 413 yards on 20 of 32 passing. Gathright led three receivers with over 100 yards receiving. He finished with 137 yards on 5 receptions, followed by Todd with 118 yards on 5 receptions and Zimmerman with 104 yards on 5 receptions.
Dalton Witherspoon led the Ravens rushing attack with 90 yards on 14 carries as the Ravens finished with 91 yards on the ground.
Jackson Hoskins led the Ravens defense with 9 tackles, including a tackle for a loss. Javhi Blomquist was one of four players to finish with 7 tackles while recording 2 sacks for a loss of 16 yards. Zachary LaCombe, Ben Gilliland, and Abram Phillips joined Blomquist with 7 tackles each while Heath Baker finished with 1 sack and 2 tackles for a loss. Trey Williams added an interception to round out the Ravens defensive efforts.
Benedictine returns home on Nov. 9 to host Central Methodist University at 1 p.m. inside Larry Wilcox Stadium for Senior Day and the annual Stars & Stripes Day.
www.ravenathletics.com | #UnleashGreatness | www.benedictine.edu
